BLOG - Is your Play School safe

Drop policy
While it may sound like a logistical hassle to ensure that whoever is coming to pick up the
child carries the necessary authorisation, it is the single most important factor to watch out
for. The school not having enough checks before handing over the child can be a potential
security hazard.
State of school buses
If your child is going to opt for school transport, checking out the state of the school buses
and whether or not they have necessary permits becomes important. Besides being wellmaintained,
they also need to be equipped with first-aid boxes, fire extinguishers and
attendants.
Child-proof classrooms
It is important to walk around the classrooms to ensure that the rooms are clean and well
maintained. This means watching out for aspects such as child-friendly toys, puzzles, wall art
and more. It is prudent to check out the toys that the child will spend the better part of the day
with. It is imperative that the toys are age appropriate and used frequently.
Medical facilities
Not only does the school need to have the requisite first aid box, but also medical facilities
such as a nurse or doctor on call. It also needs to have the necessary tie-up with the nearest
hospital in case of any emergencies.
Fire and evacuation
While you can look around for fire extinguishers, do ask for aspects such as an evacuation
plan and whether the staff is adequately trained to handle calamities such as a fire or even
other natural calamities such as an earthquake, etc.
Non-access to hazardous areas
With recent incidents where children have access to hazardous areas such as open water
tanks, it is important that you look around the school yourself to check that any drains, borewells,
tanks, etc are well covered and do not become potential accident sites.
Emotional security
Besides ensuring the child’s physical security, you also need to watch out for your child’s
emotional wellbeing while at school. Do take enough time to discuss what the school’s
overall philosophy is and whether that matches with your own parenting style. Corporal
punishment of any kind, for example, should be a strict no-no.
In checking for all these aspects, remember that physically visiting the place and discussing
any concerns that you have work far better than relying on a standard script that you may be
told over the phone.
Here’s to your child’s safety and to you being able to enjoy these golden years!